After going into the All-Star break on an eight-game losing streak, the Sixers came out flat Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center, falling to the Cleveland Cavaliers by a score of 114-85.

“As the season gets deeper and coaches dig in more, they learn a lot more about new players and we have a lot of new guys that are being scouted,” said Sixers head coach Brett Brown. “Some of it I think at this stage of the year, when (losing) gets deflating legs aren’t in it as much. You’re confidence get shaken up.”

Things fell apart early for the Sixers. After the teams traded baskets to open the game tied at five, a nice drive by Tyler Zeller set up by Kyrie Irving sparked a 13-3 Cavalier run and Cleveland never looked back. On two separate occasions, the Sixers got within five points in the second quarter, but it would be the closest they would get for the rest of the game.

Thaddeus Young put back on offensive rebound with 8:41 to go in the first half to cut the Cavalier lead to 38-33. They responded with a 9-0 run and never let the Sixers get back within less than 12 points.

The Sixers seemed to give up on the game early, not looking to run any offense as they chucked up bad shot after bad shot. They finished the game shooting 36 percent from the floor – and only 23 percent from behind the arc.

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“I think there were some effort problems, there’s no doubt,” said Brown. “You can’t hide from them. When you’re losing games and you’re at this stage of the year, there’s a beat-down affect that we’re trying to avoid. I want these guys feeling good about themselves.”

The biggest advantage that the Cavs enjoyed was in the front court. Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson each recorded double doubles as Zeller finished with 18 points and 15 rebounds and Thompson had 12 and 10.

Before the game, the Sixers honored Bensalem High School team manager Kevin Grow – who they signed to a ceremonial two-day contract after his touching story swept the nation when he got a chance to enter a game and scored. The Sixers gave the sharp-shooting high school team manager with down syndrome his own locker and jersey.

“It’s been fun having him around,” said Sixers center Spencer Hawes. “I remember seeing his story the first time and thinking how cool it was…. For as much bad that comes out of social media, it’s good to see stories like that when they do go viral and the positive (effect) it can have on everybody.”

The number on his jersey, which had his name on the back, was No. 33 – a now infamous number in for the Sixers.

“We had a guy that had the number last year,” Sixers guard Evan Turner said to Grow, referring to Andrew Bynum. “He never wore it, so it’s all yours.”